Piston ring



Sept. 2, 1952 T, J HQY 2,609,257

PISTON RING Original Filed Jan. 8, 1945 i 1 INVENTOR j THUMAE d. HEIY.

@QM Mm ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 2, 1952 Es FATE rIs'roN RING Thomas J. Hoy, Newark, N. J.

Original application January 8, 1945,, serial No.

571,745, now Patent-No. 2,490,811, dated December 13, 1949.

Dividedand this application December 10, 1949, Serial No. 132,362 I 1' l The present invention relates to valves and acting upon said ring.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 571,745 filed January 8, 19 15 and which was issued on December 13, 1949 as United States Patent No. 2,490,811. Y

The invention will be understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an ad mission piston valve embodying the presentinvention; I j

Fig. 2 is'a view similar to Fig, 1 but of an exhaust piston valve; 1 I

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the piston ring and holding means of the valves shown in-Figs. 1 and 2, and r Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the valve illustrated in Fig. 3.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing, the present invention is illustrated as embodied in the admission and exhaust valves of a steam locomotive, reciprocating steam engine or the like. The admission valve H3 (Fig. 1) and exhaust valve H4 (Fig. 2) are slidably positioned respectively in valve chambers H and III- which, as shown, comprise cylindricallyshaped sleeves I I5 and I I6 secured in housings II! and H8 respectively. The sleeve H5'has admission ports H9 and I20 therein through which steam is admitted to the sleeve H5 while sleeve H6 has exhaust ports I2I and I22 therein, through which steam is exhausted from sleeve H6. The valvesv I I3 and H4 comprise a tubular body portion I23 having a spider I24 therein. The body portion is flanged along one edge at I25 while at the other edge the body portion is secured to a member I26 having a flange I21. The flanges I25 and I21 form a groove in which a spacer I28 is positioned'intermediate the flanges and spaced therefrom to Claims. (01. 309-29) form two spaces in which piston rings I29 and I30 are disposed. p a 1 The piston rings I29 and I30 comprise an inner ring I3I and an outer ring I32 of larger diameter than the inner ring and-spaced therefrom. The rings I3I and I32 consist of two substantially semi-circular sections which sections are spaced from one another. The rings I3I and I32 are secured respectively to the inner periphery and the outer periphery of a bellows-like, pre-loaded diaphragm I33. The diaphragm I33 comprises a plurality of annular leaves I34 of .fiexible material superimposed in spaced relationship to one another, each leaf being connected adjacent opposite edges thereof to the leaf ad- "jacent opposite sidesthereof thereby to form a plurality of. flexible hinges. The diaphragm I33 is preloaded so that it acts to hold the outer peripheral surface of ring I29 in tight engage- .ment with the inner peripheral surfaceoi body The innerring I 3I, has an annular. groove in the inner periphery which engage's an annular projection I 35 so as to position the piston ring in respect to the piston. The outer rings I32 each have a circumferential flange, I68 around one side edge thereof and another circumferential flange IIIIl. around the opposite side edge thereof, In operation, theadmission valve II 3 is positioned within valve sleeve I I5 and, exhaust valve H4 is positioned within sleeve H6 each of said valves having piston rings I29 and I30 disposed thereon. The diaphragms I 33 are of such diameter that they are compressed, or preloaded when the valves, with the piston rings thereon, are inserted in their respective valve chambers. This is done by pressing the arcuate portions'of the outer ring I32 toward one another which compresses the diaphragm I33 reducing the diameter of the piston rings so thatthe valves withwhichthey are associated'may be Ifitted into their respective chambers-.' Whenthe valves arefittedin the admission andexhaust chambers the flanges IIIB of the outer rings 1329f piston rings I23 and I.30 respectively;engag e the outer peripheral surface ofl. fianges l25 "and 121 while the flanges lflsof said rings engage. spacer I28. The preloaded diaphragms. I33, at all times force the arcuate portions .of the outer,r ings",l32

apart'and alsoforce the outer periphery of vouter rings 1 I32 into fluid-:tight engagement withjthe inner periphery 0f Sleeves I15, and I I6.

, QWear onthe outer peripheral surface of the j;1 s. |2s and I30 and the inner[peripher;y of

the valve chamber or sleeve caused by frictional engagement of said surfaces as the valves are reciprocated in their valve chambers is compensated for by diaphragms I33 which, since they are preloaded or compressed, hold the outer peripheral surface of ring I32 in fluid-tight engagement with the inner periphery of the valve chamber at all times, thusly preventing leaks. In this manner, a piston valve in which the sliding friction is greatly reduced is provided because the:

leakage of steam past the rings is prevented thereby resulting in improved lubrication and less sliding friction.

Since changes may be effected in the form of the invention selected for disclosure without departing from the principles of the invention, it

will be understood that the invention is not to be 7 limited excepting by the scope of the appende claims. I

What is claimed is:

1. A piston ring comprising an inner ring, an outer ring, said rings being spaced from one another, and a compressible,-circular, bellows-like diaphragm in the space between said rings and secured to said rings, the outer ring comprising at least two separate sections spaced apart, the diaphragm being adapted to force the inner and outer rings apart.

2. A piston ring comprising aninner ring, an outer ring, said rings being spaced from one another, and a compressible, circular, bellows-like diaphragm in the space between said rings and secured to said rings, the outer ring and the inner ring each comprising at least two separate sections spaced apart, the diaphragm being adapted to'force the inner and outer'rings apart.

3 Apiston ring comprising an inner ring, an outer ring having a larger inside diameter than the outside diameter of the inner ring, saidrings being disposed in concentric relationship to .one another, and a compressible, circulan, bellowslike diaphragm in thespace between saidrings and secured to said rings, the outer ring comprising at least twojseparate sections spaced apart,

the diaphragm being adapted to force the inner and outer rings apart.

:4. Apiston ring comprising an-inner ring, an outer ring having a larger inside diameter than the outside diameter of the inner ring, said rings being- .disposed in concentric. relationship to one another, and a compressible, circular, bellowslike diaphragm in the space between said rings and secured to saidrings, the outer ring comprising two semi-circular sections the adjacent ends of which sections are spaced apart, the diaphragm being adapted to force the inner and oujterrings apart.

-5. A piston ring comprising an inner ring, an

outer ring havinga larger inside diameter than the outsidediameter of-the inner ring, said rings being disposed 'in concentric relationship to one another,- and a compressible,- circular,- bellowslike diaphragm in the space between said rings andsecured to said rings, the inner ring and the outer ring each comprising. two semi-circular sections the adjacent ends ofiw-hich-sections are superimposed in spaced relationship "one another, each leaf being connected adjacent opposite edges thereof to the leaf adjacent the opposite sides thereof thereby to form a plurality of flexible hinges which normally urge the inner and outer rings apart.

7. A piston ring comprising an inner ring, an outer ring having a larger inside diameter than the outside diameter of the inner ring, said rings being disposed in concentric relationship to one another, and a compressible, circular, bellowslike diaphragm in the space between said rings and secured to said rings, said diaphragm comprising a plurality of annular leaves of flexible material superimposed in spaced relationship to one another, each leaf being connected adjacent opposite edges thereof to the leaf adjacent the opposite sides thereof thereby to form a plurality of flexible hinges which normally urge the inner and outer rings apart.

8. A piston ring comprising an inner ring, an outer ring having a larger inside diameter than the outside diameter of the inner ring, said rings being disposed in concentric relationship to one another, and a compressible, circular, bellowslike diaphragm in the space between said rings, the diaphragm being secured at its outer periphery to the inner periphery of the outer ring and.

at its inner periphery to the outer periphery of the inner ring, said diaphragm comprising a plurality of annular leaves of flexible material superimposed'in spaced relationship to one another, each leaf being connected adjacent opposite edges thereof to the leaf adjacent the opposite sides thereof thereby to form a plurality of flexible hinges which normally urge the inner and outer rings apart, the outer ring comprising two semicircular sections the adjacent ends of which sections are spaced apart. 7 I g 9. A piston ring comprising an inner ring, an outer ring having a larger inside diameter than the outside diameter of the inner ring, said rings being disposed in concentric relationship to one another, and a compressible, circular, bellowslike diaphragm in the space'be'tween said rings, the diaphragm being secured at its outer periphery to the inner periphery of the outer ring and at its inner periphery to the outer periphery of the inner ring, said diaphragm comprising a plurality of annular leaves of flexible material superimposed in spaced relationship to one another, each leaf being connected adjacent opposite edges thereof to the leaf adjacent theopposite sides thereof thereby to form a plurality of flexible hinges which normally urge the inner and outer rings apart, the inner ring and the outer ring each comprising two semi-circular sections the adjacent ends of which sections are spaced apart. 10. A piston ring comprising an inner ring, an outer ring, said rings being spaced from one another, and a compressible, circular, bellowslike diaphragm in the' space between' said rings and secured to said rings, the diaphragm being UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Dat 83 3 ,583 y Crawford Oct. 16, 19 116 1,809,712 Kowarick June 9, 1931 1,918,707 Mellor July 13.11933 2,394,408 Starr Feb. 5, 1946 

